In this review, we will be comparing QX-4 MKII and RP-280F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Mission and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Mission QX-4 MKII and Klipsch RP-280F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Mission QX-4 MKII | Klipsch RP-280F |
|---|
| Brand | Mission
United Kingdom · founded 1977 | Klipsch
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.5" Ring Dome | 1" Tractrix Horn |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Composite fibre | 2 x 8" Cerametallic |
|---|
| Frequency response | 36-24k Hz | 32-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 98 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-150 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 23.80kg / 52.4lbs | 28.41kg / 62.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 39-3/8" x 8-11/16" x 13-9/16"
1000.0 x 220.0 x 345.0mm | 43-1/16" x 10-9/16" x 17-3/8"
1094.0 x 269.0 x 442.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Mission QX-4 MKII and Klipsch RP-280F speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
Mission QX-4 MKII |
Klipsch RP-280F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both QX-4 MKII and RP-280F are 2-way speakers.
Mission QX-4 MKIIKlipsch RP-280F
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Mission QX-4 MKII |
Klipsch RP-280F |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.5-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
QX-4 MKII features a 1.5" Textile Ring Dome Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Composite fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2.2kHz. On the other hand, the RP-280F features a 1" Tractrix Horn Tweeter and 2 x 8" Cerametallic Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1750 Hz.
Frequency Response
QX-4 MKII has a frequency range of 36-24k Hz whereas RP-280F has a frequency range of 32-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the RP-280F can go slightly deeper then the QX-4 MKII's min frequency of 36Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
QX-4 MKII is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the RP-280F which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the QX-4 MKII can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. QX-4 MKII sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the RP-280F's is rated at 98 dB. This 10 dB difference makes the Klipsch RP-280F a more sensitive speaker compared to Mission QX-4 MKII, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Both handle the same maximum of 150 watts RMS, though QX-4 MKII is rated 25-150 watts and RP-280F up to 150 watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both QX-4 MKII and RP-280F features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
Klipsch RP-280F's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Mission QX-4 MKII's and Klipsch RP-280F's external dimensions. Mission QX-4 MKII has external dimensions of 1000.0 x 220.0 x 345.0mm (39-3/8 x 8-11/16 x 13-9/16inch) whereas Klipsch RP-280F has external dimensions of 1094.0 x 269.0 x 442.0mm (43-1/16 x 10-9/16 x 17-3/8inch).
Klipsch RP-280F is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 49mm wider, 94mm taller and 97mm deeper than Mission QX-4 MKII.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Klipsch RP-280F needs about 57% more floor or shelf area. Klipsch RP-280F is 97mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Klipsch RP-280F is 94mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Mission QX-4 MKII is approximately 759.0cm2 / 117.6inch2 and base area of the Klipsch RP-280F is approximately 1189.0cm2 / 184.3inch2. The QX-4 MKII requires 36% less surface area than the RP-280F which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Mission QX-4 MKII weighs 23.80kg / 52.4lbs and the Klipsch RP-280F weighs 28.41kg / 62.5lbs. This makes the RP-280F 19% heavier than the QX-4 MKII.
Here is a comparison of how QX-4 MKII and RP-280F's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of Klipsch RP-280F?
Here are the items that come with the RP-280F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker (Ebony)
- Speaker base
- Detachable magnetic grille
- Four 1-inch #6 Wood screws
- 4 Spike feet
- 6 Rubber feet
- User Manual
- Warranty Information
- Important Safety Instructions
 Height |
1000mm
vs
1094mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
759cm2
vs
1189cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
98 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
36 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
25k Hz
vs
24k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
1198USD
vs
1299USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Mission QX-4 MKII |
Klipsch Reference Premiere RP-280F |
| Brand |
Mission |
Klipsch |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-150 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
98 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.8 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
36-24k Hz |
32-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite fibre |
Cerametallic |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.5" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Ring Dome |
Tractrix Horn |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2.2kHz |
1750 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1000.0mm (39.4") |
1094.0mm (43.1") |
| Width |
220.0mm (8.7") |
269.0mm (10.6") |
| Depth |
345.0mm (13.6") |
442.0mm (17.4") |
| Weight |
23.80kg (52.4lbs) |
28.41kg (62.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Walnut, Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
A generation apart: Mission QX-4 MKII is the newer design, against a 2015 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | Klipsch RP-280F digs deeper - 32Hz against 36Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | Klipsch RP-280F is more sensitive (98dB vs 88dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | Klipsch RP-280F is the easier load at 8 ohms; the other is 4 ohms and wants an amplifier rated for it. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (150W vs 150W). |
| Size | depends | Mission QX-4 MKII is easier to place; Klipsch RP-280F is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Mission QX-4 MKII: bi-amping; Klipsch RP-280F: bi-amping. Klipsch RP-280F sits in a wider range (17 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,299 vs $1,198 a pair). |
A Mission QX-4 MKII B Klipsch RP-280F
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Klipsch RP-280F has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. Match it to your room: we rate Mission QX-4 MKII the better fit for a very large room, and Klipsch RP-280F for a mid-size room. In a large or open-plan room, Klipsch RP-280F has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Mission QX-4 MKII is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.